Preparation of 2D/2D g-C₃N₄ nanosheet@ZnIn₂S₄ nanoleaf heterojunctions with well-designed high-speed charge transfer nanochannels towards high-efficiency photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

In this work, we design and construct a novel 2D/2D g-C₃N₄ nanosheet@ZnIn₂S₄ nanoleaf via a simple one-step surfactant-assisted solvothermal method for photocatalytic H₂ generation. Its unusual 2D/2D heterojunction structure provides far more contact areas and much faster charge transport rate than the 2D/0D heterojunction structure of g-C₃N₄ nanosheet@ZnIn₂S₄ microsphere. More importantly, this unique 2D/2D heterojunction leads the g-C₃N₄ nanosheet@ZnIn₂S₄ nanoleaf composite to generate numerous intimate high-speed charge transfer nanochannels in the interfacial junctions, and which could considerably enhance the photogenerated charge separation and migration efficiency, thus yielding a remarkable visible-light-driven H₂ evolution rate without the additive Pt cocatalyst (HER = 2.78 mmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹), nearly 69.5, 15.4, 8.2 and 1.9 times higher than that of pure g-C₃N₄ nanosheet, pure ZnIn₂S₄ microsphere, 2D/0D g-C₃N₄ nanosheet@ZnIn₂S₄ microsphere and pure ZnIn₂S₄ nanoleaf, respectively. Additionally, the 2D/2D g-C₃N₄ nanosheet@ZnIn₂S₄ nanoleaf exhibits an outstanding stability and recyclability, manifesting a promising potential application in sustainable energy conversion. This work would provide a platform for the design and synthesis of binary heterojunction composite system with highly-efficient charge separation and transfer.